Ashes: England still have a lot to prove says Tom Mahon

England are now in a very strong position in this test match. At the end of the first day they have Australia out for 244, a fairly modest total by either side’s standards but they still have a lot to prove.

In this series they’ve already shown they can bat, they’ve even at times shown they can bowl.

Now though, they’ve shown they can select the right team.

The only reason I can imagine for Panesar’s absence until now is some sort of influence from the Australians.

I know England have training academies in Australia with former Australian players assisting them, but it almost looked as though it was Australia selecting the England team.

Now that Panesar is in the team (and perhaps showing why he should have been in it for Brisbane and Adelaide as well), it is up to England to prove they can actually finish off a test match.

Australia can do it. Australia can dig themselves out of trouble as well. Neither of these facts will be lost on the English players, as they’ve witnessed them firsthand in the last two tests.

Over the next few days England have essentially two options: They can either be the team to hold the Ashes for the shortest period in the 124 year history of the competition - the Australian press is full of this fact, we love it! Or, they could also pull themselves together and try to mount the biggest comeback since Lazarus (thirteen years of Catholic schooling, I had to learn something about the bible).

This of course discounts the possibility of a draw, which would naturally keep the series alive, and a drawn series allows England to retain the Ashes, but let’s be positive and focus on getting results.

England are now in a very strong position in this test match. At the end of the first day they have Australia out for 244, a fairly modest total by either side’s standards.

On the way to doing this they proved they could dismiss Ricky Ponting for a low score, instead of giving him a chance and then watching as he makes them pay dearly.

If Australia were in this position they would be going for the kill. England have to prove it’s within them to convert a good start into a victory.

Will England keep the series alive or will they again snatch defeat from the jaws of victory?